Illinois 70, Ohio State 68 (Final)

[BB73]

I know I am gonna be bashed for saying this but I hope we go to the NIT. I think we would have a great chance of winning it. We might make it to the round of 16 in the NCAA's. I think the NIT would be a great chance for us to get some good teazm experience.

I think Thad is a victim of his own recruiting. We need to start recruiting guys that stay for 4 years...this one and done is biting us in the ass...the depth of our team shows this. Ohio and Michigan are loaded with talent. I think Thad needs to stay away from guys he knows are gone in 1 year. Thats hard too do when you can recruit like he does.

IMO Crater transferring and Lighty getting hurt cost us 4 games. We would be a 3-5 loss team if both these guys were playing right now.

He's a victim of his own recruiting, but with Lighty and Crater the team would have 3-5 losses right now (which would probably give them a top 10 ranking)?

There seems to be a disconnect there.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Just rewatched the game...

rotating in the zone sucks...Lauderdale let Davis cut in front him about 5 or more times for easy buckets...Mullens the same...

Too many time 2 guys guarding the same guy...Too many times guys standing and watching for rebounds, and standing 2 guys in one area, instead of going to the opposite side of the rim...

But every damn time we needed a stop we gave up easy looks...yes Illinois knocked them down, and shot great, and did make some really tough shots, when the shot clock was going down which really hurt us, but there were quite a few times when shots were missed and we didn't get the rebound...

Just sucks that once again we are right there, if we could just freakin' get some stops and rebound the ball better...

Also one blunder, when we were down 2 with 40 seconds left we went to the trapping press and they ran 13 seconds off the clock before we fouled...That would of been great at the end of the game when we would of been down 3 if Illinois makes the last free throw and we would of had time left...

And why he puts Offut in at the very end...Obviously he has to feel the kid can play defense...Let him play when we can't stop anyone and also to give Diebler, Buford a rest...

 

[BB73]

Just rewatched the game...

rotating in the zone sucks...Lauderdale let Davis cut in front him about 5 or more times for easy buckets...Mullens the same...

Too many time 2 guys guarding the same guy...Too many times guys standing and watching for rebounds, and standing 2 guys in one area, instead of going to the opposite side of the rim...

But every damn time we needed a stop we gave up easy looks...yes Illinois knocked them down, and shot great, and did make some really tough shots, when the shot clock was going down which really hurt us, but there were quite a few times when shots were missed and we didn't get the rebound...

Just sucks that once again we are right there, if we could just freakin' get some stops and rebound the ball better...

Also one blunder, when we were down 2 with 40 seconds left we went to the trapping press and they ran 13 seconds off the clock before we fouled...That would of been great at the end of the game when we would of been down 3 if Illinois makes the last free throw and we would of had time left...

And why he puts Offut in at the very end...Obviously he has to feel the kid can play defense...Let him play when we can't stop anyone and also to give Diebler, Buford a rest...

Was that also the foul on Meacham, a guy with a FT % in the high 80s?

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Was that also the foul on Meacham, a guy with a FT % in the high 80s?

The no call, you mean (Hand check... tweet tweet.... slap a guy in the head? No whistle)? Which also resulted in a no-call traveling?

 

[RB07OSU]

Was that also the foul on Meacham, a guy with a FT % in the high 80s?

He shoots 91%...which means DON'T foul that guy. We made so many stupid mistakes I'm surprised we even came that close. Turner actually did a better job of creating outside shots for others and hopefully Hill can continue to do the same. I'm with you though Brutus, Crater and Lighty not playing is killing us. Simmons is playing terribly right now and we need someone else in there. Even if Hill has to play nearly all game, so be it. Also, the big guys failing to get a frickin rebound is tough to swallow. Nobody blocks out and if they do, they all stand around and assume someone else will get it, all the while the opponent snatches it up for an easy bucket.

I'm really starting to question if this is even a tournament team. Could we do damage in the tournament? Yes. Do we deserve the chance after the way we are finishing the season? Not really sure. We better beat Penn State and do well in the Big 10 tourney, or I (a somewhat biased Buckeye fan) may not even be convinced we should get in. BTW, the Big 10 is really, really tough this year. Any of the top 6-7 teams can compete with anyone imo. Maybe based on that we get in, but we'll see.

I'm also with you Tlangs, I think Turner's stats are misleading. He is a great player and deserves to be mentioned, but I think we would be a better team if he scored less. What I mean is if he didn't try to use his creativeness for scoring only, he wouldn't turn it over so much (I call him Turnover Turner), plus Diebler and Buford would get more outside looks, which we need. Sure Turner needs to take shots but he trys way too hard sometimes. Plus, as you mentioned, he makes a lot of free throws down the stretch, but I will disagree that it isn't important because some of his FT shooting has put games away for us. My honest selection for Big 10 POTY would be Coble from NW...WAY underated imo. Also, maybe Kalin Lucas.

 

[BB73]

He shoots 91%...which means DON'T foul that guy.

Obviously my point was that they fouled the wrong guy after Illinois had the ball for 13 seconds.

He was at 90.9% entering the game, but when they fouled him, he was 41 of 46 for the season, which is 89.1% He made that pair, and then missed a pair in the last couple seconds of the game, so he's now at 86.0% for the year. That's why I said high 80s - it was accurate when they fouled him as well as at the end of the game.

But you used the stat for the start of the game - so I won't go Jim Calhoun on you.

 

[Tlangs]

And why he puts Offut in at the very end...Obviously he has to feel the kid can play defense...Let him play when we can't stop anyone and also to give Diebler, Buford a rest...

I agree. If he is good enough to take the court in the last two minutes....he is good enough to play at any point in the game.

 

[RB07OSU]

Obviously my point was that they fouled the wrong guy after Illinois had the ball for 13 seconds.

He was at 90.9% entering the game, but when they fouled him, he was 41 of 46 for the season, which is 89.1% He made that pair, and then missed a pair in the last couple seconds of the game, so he's now at 86.0% for the year. That's why I said high 80s - it was accurate when they fouled him as well as at the end of the game.

But you used the stat for the start of the game - so I won't go Jim Calhoun on you.

You can do math, we get it But yeah, definetly the wrong guy to foul...you think Matta would have told someone that.